Fatale#1 – Ed Brubaker/Sean Phillips
I decided to pick up this debut issue. I’m a big fan of Brubaker and Phillips’ collaborations, although I usually follow them in trade. With their first project for Image, I wanted to show it some support in single issues and I’m happy I did. This is very similar to Criminal in that it’s grounded in noir tropes, but with a touch of the occult coming in around the fringes. I like that 
Brubaker didn’t hit us over the head with that aspect of the story. This reads like a crime book, but with some intriguing supernatural elements playing an undefined role thus far. The book is divided in two, with a prologue that is a bit of an homage to North by Northwest. We meet our protagonist, Josephine, in the present day, and an unsuspecting man becomes the victim of a hit, replete with an attacking plane on a winding mountain-top highway. This is much darker than the Hitchcock movie, though, and the story ends on a fairly somber note. From there, the creators segue decades into the past, where a still young-looking Josephine is entangled in a relationship with a corrupt cop, some strange occult doings, and a reporter who is trying to help her. Brubaker elegantly introduces us to all of the players and conflicts in this time period, with brief, effective scenes that nicely transition from one to the next. At the same time, there’s an air of mystery to all of this; so while the stories were clearly laid-out, they were all shrouded in intrigue. Both creators effectively capture the time period through the dialogue and locations. The reporter’s kitchen is a dead ringer for the Draper kitchen in Mad Men, and it comes off as a sly homage (completely the opposite of how I feel about the celebrity faces used as character references these days). It’s a perfectly constructed and paced book, it plays up its noir tropes without overdoing it, it’s nicely building up a number of mysteries, and the art is great. Phillips nails the dark edges of this story within the confines of some fairly conventional layouts. I also really appreciated the back matter, as I don’t get to see it, reading Brubaker/Phillips’ stories only in trade. A write-up from Brubaker and a short essay on H.P. Lovecraft’s contribution to the horror genre rounded out this package very nicely. Stellar.
Action Comics#5 - Grant Morrison/Andy Kubert, Sholly Fisch/ChrisCross
Even though this is an origin story that puts the ongoing narrative on hold for two issues, it feels like this is where Morrison kicks things into high gear. The origin neatly ties back into what we have already seen at several points. It's also chaotic, full of energy, beautifully illustrated, and brimming with interesting takes on Superman and his mythos. Large parts of the issue are 
narrated by the rocketship that brought Kal-El from Krypton to Earth and it's full of personality. The ship's narration is alternately heartfelt, exciting, and incomprehensible. There's a great moment where it laments landing on Earth, a place where the other machines can't talk like it can. The issue opens with Kal-El's parents sending him off Krypton as it falls apart around them. There's a lot here - a quick introduction to the Phantom Zone, Krypto the super dog in action, and a great presentation of Jor-El and Lara. It feels jam-packed and chaotic, which works for a scene where the world is ending. A large chunk of the issue is devoted to Morrison's reimagining of Jonathan and Martha Kent's discovery of the rocketship and the baby within. Coupled with the backup story (more in a moment), it works very well. There's a desperation and sadness to their desire for a child. The twist on what they find at the spaceship, and give to the military, calls back to a great moment in #2 and it's quite clever. The issue ends with a scene that did nothing but confuse me, but in an exciting way. A mysterious, shadowed group (later dubbed the Anti-Superman army) steal the Kyprtonite engine from the rocketship (I'm not sure where the ship is located at this point) and then four seemingly heroic figures (one of whom is identical to Superman) lament what has happened. The segue to this sequence is a little jarring, but it's part of this issue's charm, as it intentionally jumps around throughout. It's certainly interesting stuff, even if I can't fully make sense of it now. It feels like Morrison is adding to his Superman world by throwing a lot of elements into it in this issue. It feels energetic and chaotic and I really like it. Andy Kubert's artwork contributes to that feeling. The figures and faces are expressive and interesting looking. He plays around with perspective as well, so the destruction of Krypton feels frantic. The final sequence is deliberately obscured, adding more confusion to what exactly is happening. But its very energetic and suits the mad cap story quite well.
The backup story slows things down considerably, and I found myself drawn right into it. It chronicles the Kents' quest to have a child after their marriage. I enjoyed that it wasn't cliche or sappy - their pain and desire felt real. Sholly Fisch's script did its job well. I felt like they really drew strength from each other with each failed attempt. It also fits nicely in with the lead story, filling gaps and expanding on the Kents' scene there. It felt sincere and heartfelt, and made a nice counterpoint to the wild opening story. I've never seen ChrisCross drawn normal people to this extent, but it was really good. His focus on faces and body language really sold these characters' sadness and inner strength. I like the variety in these backups, too. Last issue was more of a straight-up origin (alberit well-done), and this was an emotional character piece.
Stormwatch#5 - Paul Cornell/Miguel Sepulveda
The best issue of this title yet, so it's a shame Paul Cornell is leaving after #6. Things are certainly hitting their stride here. There's less of a focus on world-ending threats, as the cast take centre stage. And the mix between softer characterization and squabbles between cast members is 
nicely balanced. Midnighter and Apollo have an extended sequence to themselves, with Cornell playing up their attraction in a subtle way, while also having them wonder whether the public could embrace them as gay superheroes. I also like how they haven't been officially added to the team yet. They're still weighing the benefits of sticking around or breaking off to form their own team. There's a lot of interaction amongst the rest of the group as the Shadow Cabinet elects a new leader, after Adam One’s failure to lead in the previous issue. Most of this intrigue is fun, and gives attention to the wider cast. We’re also getting a good sense of Stormwatch as an organization, after the initial issues dumped us into their conflicts. Here, for example, we learn their headquarters has features of a city, as Jack can only live in cities. Sepulveda’s art is also showing growth, particularly with faces and normal people. There is a lot of standing around and talking here, and he pulls it off for the most part. The issue ends with Midnighter discovering Henry’s treachery, and an ensuing fight, and it’s effective. I feel like I know the team better now and this sort of conflict holds weight. The lead up to the finale is exciting and tense, and the issue on the whole is a success. Where it goes after Cornell leaves remains to be seen.
Animal Man#5 - Jeff Lemire/Travel Foreman, Steve Pugh
Buddy Baker's fight against the Rot continues in this issue, as he, Maxine, and talking cat Socks race across country to save his family. Imagine a horror movie centered around a tortured family, like Amityville, but one that doesn't suck. This is a thrill-a-minute fight against ruthless, grotesque creatures in a forest, with the stakes being the survival of a family. Sure, this is pitched as a conflict that 
will affect all life on Earth, but, reading this, all you care about is how Buddy, Cliff, and Maxine are going to safely make it through the fight. It's a gripping page-turner of a fight, and there are a number of contributions to the bigger story as well. Maxine is learning the extent of her powers and Buddy learns how the Rot plans to corrupt her. But it is all about the characters and the family dynamic ultimately. When Ellen's mother cries about her dead dog as the family escapes by car, her sadness resonates. The fear and anger Buddy and Ellen feel with the children in danger cuts right to the bone. And, as usual, Lemire is still throwing humour in, as the book has a quirky voice to it. Travel Foreman handles most of the art, and it's up to his usual standards.The creatures from the Rot are disturbing and all-encompassing, the characters emote and react in believable ways, and Buddy is once again the victim of some horrific physical distortion. He also does a great job with the forest setting, knowing when to pull back from the dense forest and let and empty space, populated by these striking figures, tell the story. Steve Pugh draws the final pages, and brings a quirky and expressive look to the characters that is right at home on this title. It's another triumph for this book, ending with Socks saying "Only Swamp Thing can save us now!" Can it get any better?
Swamp Thing#5 - Scott Snyder/Yanick Paquette
Snyder jumps right into William Arcane's confrontation with Alec and Abby. I was certainly expecting this to be drawn out longer, which contributed to my surprise when I turned the page to see William and his army of reincarnated animal corpses. Like Animal Man, this is a gripping horror story, with protagonists struggling to come into their own and trust each other while facing a great 
menace. The actual fight sequence is great stuff, with hideous, frothing pigs and cows attacking Abby and Alec in Paquette's traditional series of jagged panels. The moment where Alec finally calls on the Green to help fight off the animals is successfully pulled off as a big moment for the series. I was riveted on those pages. But I remain happy that he hasn't fully transformed into Swamp Thing yet. His big moment of using his powers here amounts to calling on vines to tear apart the animals (which Paquette ensures is as horrific a series of images as possible). It's #5 and we have yet to see him as Swamp Thing yet. And I couldn't care less. I adore the journey of these two leads characters and want to see it keep going. Because, ultimately, this is their story, and defeating William (even temporarily) is a moment of triumph for their developing relationship and their trust in each other. We see that develop in a sweet early scene, before the fight, and later on, when Alec offers her a canned peach to calm her down. Snyder expands on the Swamp Thing mythos at the end, and keeps it firmly tied to their relationship. We learn of the connection both of them felt to the Green as children, and how they may have been reaching out to each other, culminating in an embrace that brings back the girl made of bones image from #3. There's also a subplot, tied back to William, of a man spreading the Rot in a Brazilian jungle, tied to the destruction of the Parliament of Trees, which should provide more interesting fodder for this book. This is just such an incredible comic series. I am blown away with each issue. Paquette's artwork is stellar - he alternates between beautiful, real people and images of death and horror with ease, uniting them in a very distinct visual world, made more distinct by his style of page layouts. It's a perfect complement to Snyder's writing. Like Animal Man, this book is just as focused on its characters as its overarching conflict, and their struggles breathe life into an already exciting story.
Uncanny X-Men#4 - Kieron Gillen/Brandon Peterson
After a fairly mundane (and at times outright bad) opening arc, Gillen and guest artist Brandon Peterson present a single issue tale that provides further background on Mr. Sinister's plans while telling the story of a captive alien Phalanx. The Phalanx's inner monologue, detailing its struggle to survive without the 'hive-mind' of its fellow aliens is at times elegant and haunting. It's 
certainly engaging, and takes up a large bulk of the issue. This portrayal of Sinister was interesting in the previous story. Here, Gillen dovetails Sinister’s recent plans to transfer his mind between clones of his body with the concept of the Phalanx's shared consciousness. It fits quite neatly, and nicely shows off Sinister as both eternally curious and a malevolent force. The alien's efforts to subsist after escaping captivity are quite good as well. He is compelled to reach out with his species, having lost the shared mental bond they previously had, and goes to great lengths to reconnect. His desperation and emptiness are conveyed through some strong narration from Gillen. The problem comes when the X-Men arrive towards the end. The alien decides to let himself die, and the team defeat him. The end. This is certainly Gillen's strongest script on the relaunched book, as he creates a vivid world for the helpless alien and nicely ties it into Sinister's ongoing plans. But, as usual, he struggles with the X-Men. They are supposed to be seen as a lean strike force, swooping in to defeat the alien, with very little in the way of any meaningful dialogue or contribution to the issue. There's a trite attempt on the last page to have Storm to express regret over killing the Phalanx, but it's a pretty hollow moment compared to the depth Gillen pulled off with the alien. I get that the X-Men aren't the focus of this issue, but I don't think Gillen has earned the right to do an issue like this yet. He has yet to satisfactorily establish this team as any sort of team, with any compelling character dynamics or relationships. To do an issue that emphasizes them as a strike force who just enter the story at the end to fight, and intentionally plays down any characterization, just brings to light how poor this has been as a team book so far. It certainly doesn't help the book to feel any brighter or less somber to have the team feel so distant from readers. Peterson does do a stellar job on visuals, with clean lines, a lot of detail, and a great portrayal of the shape-changing Phalanx. So that's all good. But this book is still struggling. I was really drawn in by the Phalanx alien's story. Then the X-Men had to show up and remind me why this book just hasn't clicked for me since it relaunched.
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